1881.] LIZARDS OF SOCOTRA. 467 



covered with smooth imhricate cross plates beneath. The fourth 

 finger slightly exceeds the third ; but the third toe is a little longer 

 than the fourth. 



Head short and high, the scales on the anterior upper portion in 

 front of the eye slightly convex, considerably larger than those on 

 the trunk, and nearly equal to those beneath the tarsus. Scales 

 around the nostril very little larger than the others above the snout. 

 Nostril in contact with the rostral, which is nearly twice as broad 

 as tlie other supralabials, and grooved above in the middle. Supra- 

 labials on each side 6 to 9, the first 4 or 5 large, and those behind 

 gradually diminishing in size. Three large lower labials in front on 

 each side, and some small shields behind ; median infralabial larger 

 and broader than the rostral. Ear-opening large, about the size of 

 the first upper labial. 



Colour above earthy brown, with rather darker but indistinct 

 cross bands and numerous red spots of irregular shape scattered 

 over the back and sides ; lower parts paler, chin, throat, and breast 

 mottled with brown. 



The following are the dimensions in inches : — 



Total length 5-8 



Length from nose to anus 2"1 



Head from orifice of ear to snout 0*53 



Fore limb to end of fingers 1*1 



Hand from wrist to end of fourth finger 0"42 



Hind limb to end of toes 1*5 



Foot to end of third toe 0-52 



Only two specimens of this fine species of Gecko have been procured. 



Eremias (Mesalina) balfouri, sp. nov. 



E. ad E. pardalem affinis, parva, mediocriter gracilis, pede pos- 

 teriore vix ante humerum attingente, scuio infraoculari ad labrum 

 pertinente, supralabialibus 4 ante oculutn; palpebra inferiore in 

 medio translucente ; regiotie supraorbitali ex duobus scutis majori- 

 bus composita, granulis duntaxat extus mai-ginata ; collari ex 

 squamis majoribus composito, ad latera libera, medio adhcerente ; 

 scutis ventralibus in 10 series long itit din ales ordinatis, extremas 

 multo minores, sex medias majores, subcequales ; praanali magna ; 

 squamis dorsalibus rotundis, parvis, sine granis intern enientibus. 

 Cotpus supei-nelongitvdinaliterfasciatum, dorso medio pallide ru- 

 fescente, lateribus fasciis alternantibus nigris pallidisque arnatis. 

 General form rather stouter than that of E. pardalis, tail shorter, 

 limbs shorter and stouter; the fore leg laid forward does not quite 

 reach the end of the nose ; the hind leg extends to the shoulder, or 

 a little beyond. No palatal teeth. Lower eyehd with a translu- 

 cent central disk more or less broken up into large plates ; collar 

 free at the sides, attached in the middle. Ventrals in longitudinal, 

 not oblique rows. An enlarged prseanal plate. 



Nasal shields not very convex. The single prsefrontal shield is 

 not in contact with either the rostral or the vertical, being separated 

 from the former by the upper nasals, and from the latter by the 

 postfrontals. Superciliary disk nearly flat, and composed of two large 



